Home Records & Warranty Binder

Proof of drainage and retaining-wall work, closed permits, and roof and HVAC dates. On an older home those are exactly what buyers and appraisers question, and documentation turns a price negotiation into a non-issue.

Open or missing permits on past work become the buyer's problem — and yours at sale. Verify city permits are closed now; resolving them under time pressure in escrow is where deals wobble.

Make, model, serial, and install date for the furnace, heat pump, water heater, and appliances, plus warranties. Photos take five minutes and answer the age questions that otherwise become guesses.

Yes, especially on older stock with clay or concrete side sewers. A recent scope, plus any drainage and geotech or retaining-wall docs on a slope, pre-answers the most expensive diligence questions a buyer raises.

No, it's the right time. Gathering records while the work is fresh and contractors are reachable is far easier than reconstructing it in escrow. A complete binder protects your net.

Start with the three highest-value items — drainage or wall work, closed permits, and roof/HVAC dates — then backfill invoices and warranties. Order it by what a buyer asks first, not chronologically.